# port port port



## JPH (Jun 30, 2006)

Everyone talks about port so when I was at Giant Eagle last night I looked around a bit and found a bottle of port. I'm sure it's not the greatest, but since I have never even tasted a port before I dont know that it will matter...It was $5.50 (the second cheapest right behind the $4.99 bottle) Let me know what I could expect from this bottle after a good meal with a "fine" cigar. I drink dry red's a lot now though I know this is way different I wanted to give it a try.


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## rumballs (Mar 15, 2005)

is that smaller than 750 ml ?
I hope so based on the price


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## JPH (Jun 30, 2006)

mmblz said:


> is that smaller than 750 ml ?
> I hope so based on the price


Nope thats Giant Eagle for ya..750ml $5.50


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

JPH said:


> Nope thats Giant Eagle for ya..750ml $5.50


Better read the bottle again, make sure it says "Port" and not "Pork".


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## JPH (Jun 30, 2006)

So it's going to be really bad your saying?.....I bet I will like it..Who wants to bet? j/k But really will it be like u u u ? or what?


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

Who knows until you try.....one man's pork juice is another man's port. And if you don't, you're only out a few bucks. Let us know.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

mmblz said:


> is that smaller than 750 ml ?
> I hope so based on the price


Is that port or Ripple?


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## petethered (Jul 17, 2006)

I've had the Taylor port before.

It's not bad for the price point, and in "restaurant pricing world" a glass is normally 4$

Nothing special, but not a bad little port to have after a low end meal.

PeteTheRed
RareOak.com


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## TU09 (Mar 26, 2006)

I used some to poach pears in several months ago, had half a bottle left and went ahead and drank it. :al 

It wasn't bad and for the price, who can complain?


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## Baric (Jun 14, 2006)

Here a site for you to check out if you decide you like Port:

http://www.wineskinny.com/wine_review_archives/archive_portugalport.htm

Hope you enjoy that port, from what i can find, its not too bad a porto especially for the price!


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## JonnySlingblade (Jan 2, 2006)

The only port i've ever had is Sandeman. You get it real cheap over here in S. Korea, and damn if it isnt a fine drink! Cheack it out, it cant go for more than $20 in the states.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

The best cheap Tawny is Taylor 10, the next steps up is either Taylor or Dow 20; each has a unique taste.


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## Smoken'Gun (Jul 18, 2006)

Those who know far more than I, recommended: Hardys NV Tawny Port South Eastern Australia "Whiskers Blake". Got mine via the internet...$10.95. 

I tried the Taylor's first myself, and found the Hardy's to be MUCH better. Though, I found that Port is just not for me. 

G/L and enjoy!


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## Tristan (Jul 11, 2006)

MMMMMM,..... this was a tasty port.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

Smoken'Gun said:


> Those who know far more than I, recommended: Hardys NV Tawny Port South Eastern Australia "Whiskers Blake". Got mine via the internet...$10.95.


Aussie Port is way to sugary, syrupy for me. Portugal is to port as Cuba is to cigars, but even more so.


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## Smoken'Gun (Jul 18, 2006)

mosesbotbol said:


> Aussie Port is way to sugary, syrupy for me. Portugal is to port as Cuba is to cigars, but even more so.


Ahhh...Thanks! That's what was killing me...That awful "to Sweet" taste...Ya know, that sticks in the back of your throat, and you can't get away from it...LOL! I ended up throwing a few Ice Cubes in with it. May have to try the PORTugal blends...For the time being, think I'll stick to bourbon.:al


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## JPH (Jun 30, 2006)

tristan said:


> MMMMMM,..... this was a tasty port.


Nice pic.....you a photographer?......made me thirsty for some port (though I have never tasted it yet).....I'll tell you how my raw dawg port was!!


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## Tristan (Jul 11, 2006)

JPH said:


> Nice pic.....you a photographer?......made me thirsty for some port (though I have never tasted it yet).....I'll tell you how my raw dawg port was!!


Saying that I'm "a photographer" makes it sound official; lol. Photography is one of my hobbies! I took that picture before heading to the roof of my buddie's apartment in Bangkok before having the first cuban smoke on vacation. That port was AWESOME. I'm not sure I'll be able to find it in the states!

I hope the port you bought turns out to be enjoyable!

Cheers!
Tristan


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## JPH (Jun 30, 2006)

Well folks I drank the port tonight. It was two of my buddies and me, but only 1 other guy drank the port with me. Followed by another whole bottle of Cabernet. The port tasted sort of like maple syrup, so it actually was ehhhhhh.....not fantastic. I would never buy it again or anything, but it wasn't totally nasty. I was smoking a La Perla Habana black pearl, and one buddy had a CAO Black, and the other buddy (not really a cigar smoker) had a cigarillo. I highly recommend not buying this port...The more I think about it the worse it was, though we did finish the bottle. The color was brown....very odd to me.

I'm looking an thinking "I dont know about this..Well I was right.









The rest of the pics from the night will be in the cigar forum.


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## TU09 (Mar 26, 2006)

Sorry you didn't like it. In all fairness though, most "entry level" ports cost about four times the price of that bottle. It is also worth noting that what you had was "Taylor New York" as opposed to "Taylor Fladget" which is a top porto house (just so you don't shy away from bottles with Taylor on them). Give it another shot with the real thing like a Taylor 10 or try a reserve port such as Fonseca bin 27, Sandeman's founder's reserve, or Graham's Six Grapes. 

:al :al


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## cigar_040 (Mar 10, 2006)

Try these guys out if ya can:

http://www.sansebastianwinery.com/index.html

Found it by accident on vacation 3 years ago. Our favorites are the

Vintners Red 
Vintners White 
Port

The only drawback for me is my governing body ( :sb .... AL ) and the inability to import this fine wine from Florida.

Try it ...... for a Native Muscadine variety, it's good !!


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

Taylor 10 is the cheapest way to get one's feet wet in a decent port. The bottle should breathe for at least 6 hours though to really develop complexity. For vintage, 1985 is not too expensive, and the same thing goes; open the bottle for at least 6 hours, if not overnight as this vintage still tastes tight.


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## Tristan (Jul 11, 2006)

Nice picture man, it's too bad the port was kinda nasty!


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## Lumpold (Apr 28, 2005)

mosesbotbol said:


> Taylor 10 is the cheapest way to get one's feet wet in a decent port. The bottle should breathe for at least 6 hours though to really develop complexity.


I quite like the Grahams 1998 LBV for a fairly cheap bottle of decent port.



mosesbobotl said:


> For vintage, 1985 is not too expensive, and the same thing goes; open the bottle for at least 6 hours, if not overnight as this vintage still tastes tight.


Would it be worth keeping an 85 vintage for longer?


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

Lumpold said:


> I quite like the Grahams 1998 LBV for a fairly cheap bottle of decent port.
> 
> Would it be worth keeping an 85 vintage for longer?


Honestly, not to sound like a port snob, but any port newer than '63 is not ready to drink in my book. Once you drink vintages from 20's, 30's and 40's or even 19th century stuff (which all taste pefect if you can imagine that), a bottle from the 80's taste like grape juice. I just split a bottle of 35 Cockburns which was among the best port ever bottled. My friend has a what I think is the largest port collection in America and we drink a lot of old and exclusive stuff every week.

That is why I say to open newer port or tawnies over night.

Back to your question, I do think the 85 is a keeper. I have a few '85 magnums and assorted bottles, but of course, the 77 is a killer- bang up year. 94 is great, but you'll be waiting until the second coming before it's ready (not that it detered me from picking up a case of Taylor). I would go for older vintages vs. halmark years as the difference between an 89 point rated port and 93 rated port is too small for the price difference if you are getting something 10+ years older for the same price. The magnums do age different, as well as the double magnums.


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## dadof3illinois (Nov 7, 2004)

This is some great information guys!!

I'm a complete newbie to port wine but it's funny that I like the really young cheap Ruby or the pre 80's stuff. The only semi recent port I liked was a Fonseca vintage I picked up in a hurry to take to a party and don't remember which one I just remember it was either a 95 or 96 bottle date (I think)???


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## ky toker (Jun 2, 2005)

:r That was the first bottle of port I had. I'm not going to knock it. Might not be the 100yr uber-premium, but hell for $5 what do you want. Would I buy it again? ehhhhn, NO.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

The best way on the cheap is to get a bottle of Taylor 10, leave it open in the morning and drink it in the evening. Serve 10 degrees or less than room temperature and you're golden. Room temp port has too much alcohol to nose and overpowers the fruit.


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